Brooklyn, NY — A dual U.S.-Russian national from New Jersey was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months behind bars for helping a shadowy international network funnel U.S. ammunition and sensitive military-grade electronics to Russian defense and intelligence agencies, federal prosecutors said.
Vadim Yermolenko, who pleaded guilty last November, played a key role in an illicit global operation that used shell companies and phony bank accounts to skirt U.S. export laws and obscure the Russian government’s involvement in the procurement of sensitive dual-use technology, officials said. In addition to his prison term, Yermolenko must pay a $75,547 forfeiture judgment.
Prosecutors say Yermolenko conspired with sanctioned Russian procurement firms Serniya Engineering and Sertal LLC to buy and illegally export restricted U.S. technology — some of which is used in developing nuclear weapons, quantum computing systems, and hypersonic missiles. The network moved over $12 million through accounts Yermolenko controlled, which he never reported to the IRS.
Federal agents said the money was funneled toward advanced electronic components for radar systems, surveillance, and military R&D — and in one case, toward sniper rounds that were intercepted in Estonia before reaching Russia.
Yermolenko and his associates allegedly set up numerous shell companies and disguised exports to hide the identity of the end users — which U.S. authorities say were connected to the Russian military. Serniya and Sertal, the companies involved, were sanctioned by the Treasury Department in February 2022 for operating on behalf of the Russian government.
One co-defendant, Nikolaos Bogonikolos, has already been sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty. Another co-defendant, Alexey Brayman, is awaiting sentencing following his own guilty plea.
The case was the result of a coordinated investigation involving the FBI, IRS, and Department of Commerce, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the DOJ’s Office of International Affairs, and Estonian law enforcement.
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Key Points
- New Jersey resident sentenced to 30 months for role in smuggling U.S. tech and ammunition to Russian military
- Defendant used shell companies and bank fraud to hide ties to Russian government
- Over $12 million moved through illicit accounts, including funds for sniper rounds intercepted in Estonia
A tech smuggling plot stretching from New Jersey to Moscow just landed its key American player in prison.